


Hathir shares a book with Taethath

by lettuchi



Category: NERO - Fandom, NERO LARP
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Fluff, Post-War, Sansandur, Stone Elf, Stone Elves, The Great College, pre-game, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 14:51:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5052934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lettuchi/pseuds/lettuchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taethath is in the Great College Library, and Hathir has something to show her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hathir shares a book with Taethath

**Author's Note:**

> See the art that inspired this fic at: http://fullfathomefive.tumblr.com/image/130854749388

The silvery light of a late summer afternoon flooded into Taethath’s preferred nook of the Great College library. Taethath sat on a bench, with a tufted seat of steel-grey taffeta that matched the ashy color of the stonewood walls, and the wide windows offered a view of Sansandur’s main square. When reading proved tiresome to Taethath’s eyes, she’d often stare at the people below, the simply dressed members of Low houses going about their daily Tasks for the maintenance of the City, peppered with the occasional Adept, or Settie like herself in black robes winding their way through the crowd. She had helped build the square herself after the War two decades prior, and knew exactly where the panels she laid herself dutifully supported the footsteps of all the capital’s residents.

But now Taethath couldn’t read, or people-watch. Instead, she was half-hiding behind the refuge of the bookshelf that made up side of the bench. Hathir Sauros was a few feet away, looking through the books. Taethath thought that he hadn’t noticed her yet, but she couldn’t run away, and she didn’t fully understand her desire to do so. She didn’t even have a book to cover her face. She could feel herself blushing, and if an Adept saw her, she’d be scolded at the very least. She had been out of their direct supervision for over a year, and wanted to keep it that way.

“ _Srietaka_ …” Taethath muttered under her breath, adjusting her headscarf. If she didn’t get her heartrate and flushing under control, the next Adept to make their rounds would certainly notice her unusual state. Taethath looked up; Hathir still had his nose in a book. He seemed engrossed, perhaps even perplexed.

But Taethath’s luck didn’t hold up. Before she could get herself back to her typical sense of calm, she saw Hathir coming towards her. “Taethath,” he said as he got down on one knee, equalizing their heights. “Look here. Your father copied this book. He wrote a forward; apparently, this was written in Galerus.” Hathir showed the open book to her. “But, it is written in Common. I can’t really read it…”

Taethath, averted her eyes a little, trying to remain demure and maintain her composure. Hathir had always been bold, and coming so close to her in such an informal position was going to attract attention. But that was his way, Taethath knew it well enough, and Hathir had the charisma to talk his way out of the Adept’s discipline. It wasn’t a transgression to show someone a book, after all. Taethath quickly skimmed the text as she took the book. It was indeed her father’s hand. “Although the practices described are unconventional, it is important to note the cultural environment in which this work was produced,” Taethath said, reading the end of the forward which was written in Kyralian. At the objective task of reading, she felt her pulse slow closer to normal. She started to flip through the text.

Any progress she had made in changing her biometrics and maintaining decorum was completely destroyed once she started flipping through the main body of the book. Her cheeks burned bright. 

“What’s it about?” Hathir asked.

“It’s a manual on how to manage...slaves. Beings that are owned, for labor.” Taethath looked up from the book to search his eyes for any trace of recognition. “...Hathir, by the Light, there are...pictures,” Taethath said, spinning the book around to show him an image of a mystic wood elf being hit with a switch.

Hathir rose from his knees to sit next to her on the cushioned bench, a little closer than an Adept would permit. “I might have missed that,” he said.

Taethath shut the book with a firm hand. “Might?” She raised an eyebrow and gave him a side glance. “You were reading this book for at least ten minutes.”

“So, you were looking..!” Hathir said, leaning in a little.

Taethath looked away and her face felt like it was on fire. “You…!”

Hathir’s face was mild, but his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. He looked about briefly, checking for surveillance, and then patted her on the thigh familiarly as he stood. “Time to go to lecture…” he said neutrally as he walked towards the floor’s auditorium. “...Don’t be late!”


End file.
